Winter Pool Maintenance Tips

With winter fiercely upon us, it has already brought abnormally low temperatures and plenty of that fluffy white substance, the kids love to see on Christmas morning. Most of us tend to hibernate in winter and keep indoors where it’s warm as much as possible, unless of course it’s time to shovel the walkway. As you gaze outside at the already accumulating snowfall, do your worry about what is going on beneath your pool’s safety cover?

Let us ease any pool owner’s fears about their backyard investment.

The best thing to do, believe it or not, in most cases even with large amounts of snow or ice is to just leave it alone. But what if we get an abnormal amount of ice or snow? Or what if we get a thaw together with a lot of rainfall followed by a deep freeze? These are common concerns when you have a serious investment in your backyard paradise. None of which should be of any concern to you if your pool was professionally installed and closed properly.

Pool safety covers are designed to be supported by the water underneath, which is why a pool should never be emptied as a method of wintering. Water expands almost 10% when frozen, so we need to give the ice some space to expand. A pool containing water or ice also supports the walls of your pool from the surrounding pressure of the freezing ground as it too expands against the pool walls. An empty pool in winter can collapse and in the case of fiberglass pools, the pressure can cause an empty pool to be thrust right out of the ground.

There are a few safety precautions to keep in mind. Have your pool professionally closed each fall to maintain a safe water level in your pool. Take proper care of your safety cover, storing it properly according to manufacturer’s instructions when not in use. Don’t panic if you see a few feet of snow on your pool, this snow will eventually melt and should run off.

As for excess water on your pool cover? Those tips will be saved for discussion in the Spring.